Coffin spring



Dec. 24, 1929.

COFFIN SPRINGA Filed May 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l attenua@ Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COFFIN SPRING Application lcd May 28,

This invention aims to provide a spring bed, adapted to be placed in a casket or coffin, for the support of a corpse, so that the corpse may be handled conveniently and be placed readily in the coffin, the construction being such that the corpse will lie in a natural position in the cofiin. Another object of the invention is to support the corpse in the cotn in such a way that the corpse will not be joggled into a gruesome or unsightly appearance, it the body has to be transported some distance, over a railroad or otherwise. A further object of the invention is to provide a corpse support which may be expanded and contracted to fit cotfins of diterent widths. A urtiier object of the invention is to provide novel means for retaining the 'feet of the corpse and for supporting the arms ot the corpse.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility ot devices ot that type to which the invention appertains.

Vith the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combina tion and arrangement of parts and in the details ot construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in top plan, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a detail view showing the connections ot the toot retainer;

Figure 3 is a side elevation ott the complete device;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section wherein parts are broken away;

Figure 5 is a transverse section;

Figure 6 isa transverse section showing the arm supports and the head part; and

Figure 7 is a plan showing the expansion joint at the head and at the foot of the frame.

The trame 1 is made ot angle members and A may be of any desired shape. Preferably the trame 1 is bluntly pointed, as shown at 2, at

192s. seriai No. 281,264.

the head. The end members of the trame 1 are overlapped, as shown at 3, and are connected by clamps 4, such as bolts, the bolts 4 being held in one of the end members of the trame, and being movable in a slot 5 in the cooperating end members of the trame. This construction enables the trame to be expanded or contracted, as to width, so as to lit in coftins of dierent breadth. lVherever desired, vood fillers 6 may be secured in the angle members of the 'frame 1, so that upholstery may be tacked on. The upholstery is not shown in the drawings.

A spring bottom 7 is connected'at its ends to the head and the foot of the frame 1. Certain of the cross ties in the spring bottom are omitted as shown at 8, so that the spring bottom may expand or contract readily when the width of the trame 1 is changed by the means shown at 4 5.

The horizontal flanges 9 of the end members at the foot of the frame carry short depending supports 0r spurs 10, which may be pointed. Double-walled legs 11 are provided, and the constituent members of the legs 11 are held togetherby securing elements 12. The constituent members of the legs 11 are provided, as shown in Figure 6, with hookshaped heads 14 which engage slidably with the horizontal Hanges and with the vertical flanges of the frame 1, at the sides of thev trame, and near to the head oi' the trame.

The legs 11 preferably are a little longer than the supports 10, and the undertaker can shift the legs 11 back and forth on the sides of the frame 1, so as to change the tilt or slant of the :trame 1.

A post 15 is connected at its lower ends to the foot of the frame 1 and is connected to the foot of the trame by braces'16. The braces 16 may be made of wire, and their ends have a twisted connection with the post 15 and with the ends of the frame, as shown at in Figure 5. This construction enables the braces 16 to be lengthened or shortened at will, when the frame 1 is adjusted in width as hereinbeiore described. At its upper end, the post has an eye 17 in which a flexible member 18 is capable of longitudinal adjustment. The iexible member preferably is a coiled retractile spring having hooks 19 at its ends, adapted to be engaged with each other, as shown in Figure 2, in order to hold the flexible member in the form of a loop 20, as shown in Figure l. The loop 20 may be formed around the upstanding feet of the corpse, and in this way, the feet may be retained.

Uprights 2l are pivoted at their lower ends, as shown at 22, to the sides of the frame l and are located near to the head of the frame. Near to their upper ends, the uprights 2l are twisted on themselves, as shown at 23, to form inwardly extended curved brackets 24. When the uprights 2l are turned up into the position shown in Figure 6, the arms of the corpse may be supported in the brackets 24.

During transportation, or before the device is brought into actual use, the uprights 21 may be swung down so that the brackets 24 will rest on top of the members of the frame, in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art.

Extension pieces 40 are provided, and have slots 4l opening through their inner ends. Two of the extension pieces are disposed cross wise of the sides of the frame and are held adjustably thereon by bolts'42 in the slots 41. The extension piece which is arranged at the head of the frame is held in place by one of the bolts 4, as shown in Figure 4. The

several extension pieces may be adjusted in or out and may be held in position securely by means of the bolts alluded to. The eX- tension pieces or stay plates are used in caskets made of metal of any desired kind, 1n

order that the spring frame may be held in place against movement horizontally within the casket.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:-

A device on which a corpse can be laid out, prepared for burial, lowered into a coffin, and be supported in the coffin, the said device comprising a frame constructed to support a corpse and shaped to be received in a coiiin and rest on the bottom of the coiiin, arm rests on the sides of the frame, the frame comprising members which are laterally adjustable to position the rests properly with respect to the arms of the corpse and to adjust the frame to the width of the coiiin, means for holding the frame at adjusted Widths, and

legs slidable along the sides of the frame and constituting means for varying the slope of the device, both whilst the corpse is being prepared for burial and after the corpse is in the cofin. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aHiXed my signature. WILLIAM J. EPPIHIMER. 

